Snubbed Tait looking at other options

Adelaide (Australia), May 16 (ANI): Though fast bowler Shaun Tait, 26, has not given up hope of playing for Australia again, his frustration at Cricket Australia for preventing him from playing in the Indian Premier League for fitness reasons and for dumping him from its contract list, has made him think of other options.

Tait will head to England in the coming weeks and ponder over a future in private Twenty20 leagues around the world.

According to The Age, his long-term plans are most intriguing and illustrate how dramatically the cricket landscape, and his own priorities, have changed since he spearheaded Australia’s World Cup win two years ago.

Tait will have more freedom to take part in the global Twenty20 explosion without a Cricket Australia contract. His only obligation is to the Rajasthan Royals, with whom he has a contract for next season worth about 500,000 dollars. He is also eyeing opportunities in the UK, where an England Premier League will be launched next year and, closer to home, where CA is planning a Southern Premier League with South Africa and New Zealand from 2010-11.

“You’ve got to wait and see how it all pans out, but to be involved in a couple of franchises playing Twenty20 cricket would suit me pretty well,” Tait said last night.

He wants to keep playing for South Australia and be eligible for Australian selection, so has no immediate plans to use an English passport and qualify for England. But he has not ruled it out in the longer term.

“I wouldn’t not consider it, put it that way. I wouldn’t do that now, but there are some options in cricket around the world now. It’s all a bit up in the air. It’s no secret I’m trying to concentrate on the shorter form of the game and it probably frees me up a bit more to do that. The good thing about it is I can make my own decisions. I am still, hopefully, going to be contracted to the (South Australian Cricket Association) here … but I can explore some other options in the shorter forms of the game,” Tait said.

“But it’s not the end of the world. It gives me a bit of freedom to explore other options. I’m lucky enough to have things like the IPL going for me. The other thing is I can still play for Australia. I have always enjoyed playing for Australia and I want to play for Australia again, but there are other options as well.”

Tait’s demanding action has restricted him to three Tests in four years, and he supported West Indies captain Chris Gayle, who said this week he would not be sad if Test cricket gave way to Twenty20.

“It’s a pretty big call coming from a Test captain … but I think he is probably spot-on,” Tait said. (ANI)